Aromatic Tiger Prawns

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 16 raw tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 5 peppercorns
• 1 star anise, broken into pieces
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• salt
• pepper
• lime slice
• green onion, chopped

Recipe

• 1 peel the prawns, but leave tails intact. cut along the back and remove the dark vein.
• 2 thread the prawns in pairs on 8 small skewers.
• 3 heat a heavy frying pan, add the chili powder, fennel seeds, peppercorns, start anise and cinnamon sticks and dry-fry for 1-2 minutes to release the flavours.
• 4 leave to cool, then grind coarsely in a grinder or tip into a mortar and crush with pestle.
• 5 heat the peanut oil in a shallow pan, add the garlic, ginger and chopped shallot and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until very lightly colored. add crushed spices, season with salt and pepper and the cook the mixture gently for 5 minutes.
• 6 add rice vinegar and brown sugar, stir until dissolved, and then add the prawns. cook for about 3-5 minutes, until they turn pink, but are still juicy.
• 7 serve hot and garnish with lime wedges and green onion.